Cleaning PowerBook Screen

[CompUser]

My PowerBook's screen is looking pretty dusty and has some finger prints on it (thanks Mom!).

What should I clean the LCD with. Water? Windex?

I don't want to make the mistake some idiot made at my school. They cleaned the screens on the PowerMac G4s monitors with an abrasive cleaner and now they annoying to use.

 

[xFU3Lx]

I use eyeglass cleaner or water, and a microfiber cloth.

 

[Leareth]

iklear or omniclean are the best, and you can use them on the rest of the PB too.
never ever use windex, takes of the protective coating on the PB screen and leaves cloudy streaks.
damp cloth is ok to use but does not get rid of grease from fingertips, so good for dried on coffee and coke, but not chip grease...

 

[AstrosFan]

I second the vote on microfiber cloth for cleaning.

Here's an excerpt from the PowerBook manual:
Cleaning Your PowerBook Display
To clean your PowerBook screen, do the following:
Shut down your PowerBook.
Dampen a clean, soft, lint-free cloth or paper with water only and wipe the screen.
Do not spray liquid directly on the screen.

 

[CompUser]

Thanks everyone.

I'll try a damp lint free cloth.

 

[Bern]

iklear or omniclean are the best, and you can use them on the rest of the PB too.
never ever use windex, takes of the protective coating on the PB screen and leaves cloudy streaks.
damp cloth is ok to use but does not get rid of grease from fingertips, so good for dried on coffee and coke, but not chip grease...

iKlear is one of the best products around for safely cleaning your Mac and it's endorsed by Apple too.

 

[Switzermac]

I just got iKlear but 3m makes a similarproduct which is also great

 

[nsutt22]

Another great tool...

Rubbing alchahol works geat too with a microfiber cloth. It gets out the grease and dries instantly. It works excellent!

-NSutt-

17" Powerbook 1.67 ghz - 1.5 gig ram
128 ATI 9700
100 GB HD
19" Dell W1900 LCD TV

 

[mauly]

Will the methods above work the same on an iMac G5! or are the screens different and need to be cleaned a different way?

 

[aussie_geek]

Rubbing alchahol works geat too with a microfiber cloth. It gets out the grease and dries instantly. It works excellent!

-NSutt-

17" Powerbook 1.67 ghz - 1.5 gig ram
128 ATI 9700
100 GB HD
19" Dell W1900 LCD TV

DON'T use alcohol - it can damage the protective / anti glare coating on the screen. Water or LCD cleaning solutions only.


aussie_geek

 

[rkristich]

I have a cloth from RadTech that I use (Link). It's kind of expensive for a cleaning cloth, but I love it. I just dip in a little bottled water (too many minerals in our tap water), and it does a great job of cleaning my screen and the rest of my PB too. It also looks nice when draped over the keys, especially if you get the grey PowerBook one. You can also use it dry to wipe off dust and some marks.

Of course, if you don't want to pay $15 for a cleaning cloth, just go and get one of those little cloths that people clean their glasses with. If you live near a Wal-Mart with an optical center, you should be able to get one for a really cheap price.

 

[superbovine]

DON'T use alcohol - it can damage the protective / anti glare coating on the screen. Water or LCD cleaning solutions only.


aussie_geek

yep, or windex for that matter.

 

[mrgreen4242]

I have some LCD screen cleaning wipes (individual one use packets) and while they seem to work well I noticed that they leave a very slight residue behind at the spots where you 'turn around' your swipes. It's very faint, and not really noticeable unless the display is off and you have a light on in front of it.

I can't remember which drawer they are in or I would tell you what brand they are.

 

[bodeh6]

I too recommend iKlear. It is much safer then a 50:50 alcohol/water mix or Ammonia containing Windex. It is alcohol and ammonia free so it will not harm your screens coatings.